The Lost Weeks
by N.Q. Wilder
Summary: Part of the "All Things Pass" series. A story that takes place between ME1 and ME2 that explores the beginning of Shepard and Liara's relationship.
1. Losing Control

**So, let's start with my usual introduction to a new tale. What is this story? This is a step back in time, to the weeks between where ME1 leaves off and ME2 begins. That mysterious time that is never truly addressed in the games, and I have only alluded to briefly in my other stories. When I looked back and reviewed the timeline of my stories, I realized that there was this giant chunk of time relatively unaccounted for. And more importantly, this chunk of time was some of the most significant in Sophia and Liara's relationship. Because of the way I left "All Things Pass" and began "Sub Specie Aeternitatis," this span of time had to be where they really started their relationship. At the end of "All Things Pass," Shepard gives up her need for control in order to be with Liara. But there is still so much uncertainty, so much more left for them to figure out. In "Sub Specie Aeternitatis," I established that they had built a functional - albeit secretive - relationship where they grew closer and thought of themselves as a couple. However, neither had gotten to the point of saying the all important L word: Love.**

**Now, I've always known, in a general sense, what happened in this unaccounted time period. However, at some point, this vague understanding didn't satisfy me anymore. I wanted to know how Shepard got over all her emotional baggage, how Liara began to overcome her social awkwardness, how they both figured out how to care about another person. So, I began fleshing it all out. And in doing so, I discovered things. Some surprising, some amusing, some sad, others heartwarming, and some were awfully romantic. What I discovered was a story about love at its beginning, before either person truly understands what they have that's worth holding onto so dearly. And I think that is a story worth sharing.**

**I feel like this goes without saying, but to be on the safe side I will say it anyway. Since this takes places before "Sub Specie Aeternitatis," "Never Again," and "After" none of the stuff that happens in those stories has happened yet. Meaning certain character arcs have not occurred, certain relationships are not fully developed yet, and issues that have been resolved later are not resolved now. I am quite serious when I say this is all about love at its beginning. In all its clumsy glory.**

**A few words about this chapter specifically: **_**Oh my god, Shepard is super awkward**_**. I always knew Sophia was not as put together deep down as she likes to seem on the surface. I knew she had some identity problems. But holy crap, even I was surprised by how timid she is when it comes to relationships. I spent half of this chapter laughing at how comically irrational she is, and the other half wanting to kick her ass out of her comfort zone. I have to admit though, I find her a lovable dunce. She may be dysfunctional, but so is Liara, so they were kind of made for each other. They really just want to do what's right and they have such a hard time figuring out what that is.**

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**Losing Control**

Shepard had meant to call. She really had. She felt like a complete jerk for practically disappearing after the battle for the Citadel. The last time she'd seen Liara was three days ago, when she'd limped away from Sovereign's wreckage and then had been immediately scooped up by the Council. As they'd dragged her away, she only managed to tell Liara and Wrex that they should rejoin the others back at the Normandy. Shepard had hoped to return there herself after warning the council that Saren was just the beginning of the Reaper threat, but instead the Alliance had escorted her to the hospital to have her injuries looked at and had kept a close eye on her ever since. From then on, it had been a slew of debriefings, hearings, and worst of all, public relations.

The Alliance had generously decided not to court marshal her for disobeying orders and saving the Citadel plus earning humanity a seat on the council. After that they politely pretended to listen to her warnings about the Reapers, and then scheduled several photo shoots for new recruitment posters and meetings with the press. It was hell.

Now, while getting dressed for an award ceremony to honor the heroes of the Battle of the Citadel, Shepard felt her gut twist uncomfortably at the thought of seeing Liara again. Shepard was alone in her apartment, a small residence she owned in the Alliance zoned section of the Citadel. Her superiors had ordered her to stay there so that she would be close at hand if they needed her. Truth be told, she'd been so busy that'd she'd hardly been there at all. For the moment the commander found herself alone, with just enough time to change into her dress blues before heading to the ceremony. She knew that the asari would be there, along with the rest of her crew, since they would be receiving medals of valor. Yet, Shepard had no idea what she would say to Liara.

She liked Liara - more than she could say - but caring about someone meant doing what was best for them. As much as it pained Shepard to admit it, she wasn't the best thing for Liara. In an ideal world, Liara would find a way to continue her research on the protheans and move on, eventually finding some smart scientist to settled down with and have all the securities of a stable relationship. With Shepard, stability would never be an option. She'd already put Liara through hell: dragging her all around the galaxy, forcing her to witness her own mother's demise, dodging their feelings for one another because Shepard couldn't let go of her need for control, and then sleeping with her only to disappear for days without a word. Liara deserved better than that. She deserved better than Shepard.

The trouble was that Shepard's heart wasn't prepared to relinquish Liara. While she polished her dress shoes, her thoughts quickly floated away from her work and drifted towards the night before Ilos. She remembered the moment when, looking into Liara's eyes, she had decided to let go. Let go of her doubts, her reservations, all the things that were holding her away from another person. It had been terrifying, like losing all the things that kept her safe and secure. And then she had kissed Liara, felt the asari twine her body around hers, and suddenly she didn't care about the things she had lost. They seemed so insignificant next to the excitement of Liara's touch. At the time, it had seemed that no matter how many times Shepard kissed Liara, or ran her hands along her body, that she couldn't get enough. She had needed Liara like she needed air.

The meld had been even more terrifying. At first, Shepard had recoiled from the mental connection, throwing up barriers in her mind instantly. Liara had been patient, allowing Shepard to work through her own fears and eventually open up to her. They'd started small, shared sensory which allowed them to feel what the other felt, and then progressed to deeper things. Shared thoughts and emotions, their personalities mingling in a sort of shared consciousness. When Shepard allowed herself to let go, she had found the connection comforting. It soothed a loneliness that she had held close to her heart for many years.

Sighing, Shepard set down her polishing rag and went to her closet to retrieve her uniform. As she began to put it on, she thought, _You shared something meaningful with Liara and then just ran away. She probably thinks it meant absolutely nothing to you_. Shepard really should have called, at least. Written an email. Anything. Anything was better than silence.

"Hey, sorry I didn't call or anything. I was so busy doing stuff for the Alliance and was afraid of getting caught for fraternization," she said aloud to herself, hearing just how lame of an excuse that was. She tried to think of a way to explain her actions without sounding sleazy. So far, no success.

"Well, we knew this wasn't going to be a very functional relationship," Shepard sighed, trying to make herself feel a little better. It didn't help. She felt like a total scumbag. She wondered whether Liara felt like the commander had taken advantage of her. Shepard couldn't help feeling like she had. Sleeping with someone and then not even bothering to call was pretty low. Sleeping with someone and then keeping it a secret because you wanted to save your own skin was even lower.

Shepard covered her face with her hands and groaned. Liara probably hated her now. She'd managed to really screw this up. Well, it was probably for the best, she decided. She wasn't good enough for Liara anyway.

Taking a deep breath, Shepard squared her shoulders and looked at herself in the mirror. She could practically hear her father's voice, telling her that everyone made mistakes, but a good person owned up to their mistakes. _Sometimes there's nothing you can do to make someone forgive you_, he had said. _Sometimes you have to admit that you were wrong and accept whatever happens next. Even if the other person just wants to stay angry with you._

Giving herself a stern look, Shepard said, "Ok, you just need to face it that you screwed this up. It won't do any good to pity yourself and wish you hadn't. The only thing you can do now is go up to Liara, apologize for being an ass, and then accept that she'll probably never want to see you again."

Her reflection frowned back at her. This was going to be extremely difficult.

~.~.~.~.~

The Normandy crew all arrived together. Shepard first caught sight of Liara standing between Ashley and Tali, dressed in one of her usual lab outfits and seemingly oblivious to the fact that everyone else was dressed more formally. Which, of course, Shepard found incredibly endearing and it served as an extra knife in her gut since she knew that she'd lose Liara soon. The commander greeted the entire crew warmly, stealing a few glances at Liara to try to gauge her mood. She felt like even more of a scumbag for pretending like there was nothing between them, but with so many eyes watching she had to be careful. To her surprise, Liara did nothing to even remotely suggest that they had any kind of intimate relationship. She acted like her usual self, shy and reserved. She spoke only a little to Shepard, and otherwise seemed to simply observe the interactions of others. Shepard suspected that this was a bad sign. If Liara was already comfortable ignoring Shepard, then she would have no problem making that their permanent state.

Worry distracted Shepard throughout the entire ceremony. During the presentation of the medals, she imagined potential conversations with Liara in which the asari called her every sort of derogatory name. Sometimes she tried to defend her actions in these imaginary arguments, but mostly she felt like she deserved every single insult.

Finally, during the reception, she caught sight of Liara standing alone at one of the food tables. The ceremony had been held at a large estate on the Citadel that was apparently built just to accommodate elite events. It was human owned and thus modeled after ancient European architecture. A sprawling mansion with expansive grounds where the banquet was set up, and several gardens and courtyards surrounding. Hurrying over to the tables, Shepard laid a hand gently on the asari's arm and asked, "Can we talk?"

Liara turned her head, looking surprised at first, and then she nodded. "Yes, we probably should."

"One of these courtyards should be empty. Follow me." Shepard led her to the nearest pathway leading away from the reception. She kept an eye out to make sure no one had taken an interest in their departure, but everyone else seemed absorbed in their own conversations. They slipped behind an impressive topiary display and found themselves in a small, but empty courtyard surrounded on all sides by high rose bushes. A fountain stood in the center, quietly gurgling water, and a few benches were spread out in a square.

Shepard and Liara stood near the fountain, facing each other only a few feet apart. The commander desperately tried to read the expression on Liara's face, but the meaning eluded her. Taking a deep breath, she decided that she should just say what she needed to say and get it over with.

"Liara, I..." she began, struggling to find the words. "I'm sorry I haven't called you or tried to talk to you over the last few days. And I'm sorry that I'm acting like there's nothing between us back there. I want you to know that it's just me being selfish and an ass, and it has nothing to do with you. You're amazing and I'm just... I don't know what I'm doing."

To her surprise, Liara tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked. "You told me before that you would get in trouble if people knew about us."

Those words suddenly brought Shepard up short. She'd been expecting a much different reaction. "Wait, you're not mad?"

"Why would I be? You made no promises to me. I knew when I came to you before Ilos that you were still uncertain about starting a relationship. I made the choice that I wanted to be with you, at least that one time, even if it would be the last time."

Shepard's whole understanding of the situation went completely out the window. "Liara, no, I - I could never -" she sputtered, trying to get a handle on her own feelings. Did this mean that Liara didn't think sleeping together changed anything between them? Did it mean that Shepard had just been used? The commander took another deep breath to calm herself and said, "I'm not the type of person who just wants a one night stand. I'm not good at being vulnerable, Liara. When we were together... that required me to let go of my control. It required me to give up a lot. It wasn't just something casual for me."

"Oh," Liara murmured, and then she was silent, thinking and looking at Shepard with those sapphire eyes. Finally she said, "I must admit that I am... I am very happy to hear you say that. I thought that I was alone in my feelings and..." She put a hand to her head and suddenly sat down on the flat, stone edge of the fountain, looking deeply troubled.

Shepard instinctively moved towards her, putting out a hand in case Liara collapsed completely. "Are you alright?" she asked, alarmed. "What's wrong?"

Liara shook her head. "I am fine. Sorry, I just... I felt a little overwhelmed suddenly." She lifted her face to look at Shepard again. "I had assumed that with the Citadel saved and Saren defeated, you would move on to a new mission, and since I would have little reason to stay on the Normandy, I would be left behind. I had assumed that you would desire an end to our relationship so that you could focus on your next goal. But now your words are suggesting that is not the case and... and I am becoming very confused."

That was the razor to the gut that Shepard had been expecting. Did Liara really think she was capable of such a thing? Using a person for a brief moment of pleasure and then tossing them aside the second they became a hindrance? "I know that I can be harsh in my battlefield tactics," Shepard said, "but I could not use a person like that. I know my actions have been selfish, but... I would never want to hurt you, Liara. I hope you believe that."

Liara's face was a mask of concentration. For a while the only sound was the gentle gurgling of the fountain and the distant murmur of the party guests. Then, Liara said quietly, "I do believe that, Shepard." The asari averted her eyes, looking down at her hands which rested folded in her lap. "I think maybe I should be the one apologizing. When I was trying to sort through -" she thought for a moment, trying to think of the right word, "-us," she finally decided. "I allowed myself to be distracted by thinking of you as Commander Shepard, rather than who you are as a person. And I should have known better. There has always been two sides to you. One, Commander Shepard, the woman who must always be the pillar of strength, the leader, the example. The woman who cannot appear mortal, who cannot have feelings for someone else. And two, Sophia Shepard, the woman who befriended me when everyone else thought I could not be trusted. The woman who shows a deep sensitivity to the feelings of others, who is constantly trying to figure out what is right and do it." Liara raised her eyes to meet Shepard's violet ones again. "The first woman, I respect and admire. The second woman, I care deeply for. It is... a confusing mix of emotions. When I asked myself, 'What would be best for Commander Shepard?' I decided that I would just be a distraction. That it would be best if I gave up on trying to have anything more than your friendship. I did not ask myself 'What would be best for Sophia Shepard?'"

The dark haired woman found herself suddenly weak in the knees and she sat down next to Liara. It felt so strange, so alien, to know that someone else was prepared to sacrifice for her sake. To know that Liara had been prepared to leave when she thought it would be best for Commander Shepard. And that she was now prepared to stay if she thought it would be best instead. People did not sacrifice for Commander Shepard. Her job was to sacrifice all that she could so that others did not have to.

Her mouth felt dry and she swallowed in order to find her voice. "Did you think about what would be best for Liara?" she asked softly.

"Oh, I know what would be best for me," the asari said with a shrug. "I have known for some time."

Shepard stared down at her feet because she did not trust herself to look at Liara. Even though she knew mentally that she wasn't the best thing for Liara, she still didn't know if she could bear to hear it.

"These last few days," Liara went on, "I have been thinking back to my work on the protheans. The hours spent digging and studying and alone. If you had asked me a few months ago how I felt about those years, I would have told you that they were the happiest of my life. That I was doing what made my life worthwhile. And yet... now, when I remember those times, I feel like there was something missing. I find myself imagining, 'What if Shepard had been there with me?' I have always enjoyed solitude, but I think I would have enjoyed sharing that solitude with you."

Shepard raised her face, her brows furrowed in confusion. It seemed impossible for her brain to make sense of what Liara had said. Her skills as a soldier would be useless at a dig site. She wasn't a scientist either, so she couldn't help Liara with her research. People wanted Commander Shepard for her skills, for her ability to beat the odds. Her brain simply could not fathom why Liara would want her around if she wouldn't be any help. She could not fathom why anyone would want _her_ and not Commander Shepard.

"Now if you asked me how I felt about the past few months spent aboard the Normandy," Liara continued, "with you and the rest of the crew, hunting down a rogue spectre and living in constant anxiety and fear... I would say that those were the best years of my life so far. I think you made all the difference, Shepard. I think that what is best for me, is you."

"I - I don't know what to say," Shepard stammered. It felt like her whole world had been shot into an uncontrollable tailspin and she was fighting to regain control. "I haven't done anything to deserve you."

Liara smiled then, a smile so sweet that Shepard's heart felt full of softening showers. "You are you," she said. "And that is enough."

Struck speechless, Shepard just sat there dumbly. If the stone rim she sat on hadn't been so solid, she imagined she would have toppled over into the fountain. Maybe the cold water would have helped clear her head.

Before she could say anything, indistinct voices sounded nearby. Shepard's body stiffened and she strained to hear, pinpointing the voices from somewhere just behind the high rose bushes. Then she heard one, a woman's voice, say, "Where did Commander Shepard get off to? I wanted to get an interview."

The other voice, this one male, said with a hint of humor, "Maybe she ran off for a different kind of reward, if you know what I mean."

"I wish," the female replied dryly. "Catching Commander Shepard in the act would be huge. But the way that woman acts, I'm pretty sure she has no idea what sex is."

The man laughed in response.

_Reporters_, Shepard thought. Her stomach tightened. If they found her and Liara alone together it wouldn't quite be the gold mine that the female reporter wanted, but it would be enough to tarnish her reputation. Not to mention Liara would undoubtedly feel the backlash. A secret lover had been the downfall of countless figures throughout history.

Keeping her voice hushed, Shepard said, "We should split up for now. Will you meet me on Level 28 of the Zakera Ward?"

Liara tilted her head. "We could leave now," she suggested. "I am sure we can slip away unnoticed."

Shepard shook her head. "It'll be best if we are seen leaving at different times. Plus, I need to talk with Anderson in order to make a clean get away. I'll meet you soon. I promise."

Liara nodded her understanding. "I will wait there for you." She rose and slipped out of the courtyard. Shepard took a deep breath, still trying to get her emotions under control, and waited a few minutes before returning to the party. Melting back into the crowd, she acted as if she had been drifting from conversation to conversation all along. A few reporters spotted her and asked some questions, but she answered them while steadily making her way towards Anderson. He stood chatting with some other Alliance officers, and when she reached him she lightly touched his arm and whispered, "Can I talk to you for a minute, Sir?"

He smiled and nodded, excusing himself from the other conversation and walking a little ways away with Shepard. She kept her voice low so that others couldn't eavesdrop. "I was hoping I could sneak out of here, Sir. Maybe if you'll cover for me..."

He patted her on the back and said, "Of course, Shepard. You deserve a break. I'll make excuses for you if anyone comes asking where you got off to."

"Thank you, Sir," she said, relieved.

She started to go, but he pulled her back. "Wait, Shepard. I also wanted to tell you that I'll run interference for you tomorrow as well."

"What?"

"I know the Alliance has been hounding you for the last three days, and I don't think that's fair given everything you've just been through. You deserve a day off. I'll make sure the Alliance stays off your back for a day."

Her eyes widened. "Thank you, Sir."

He waved his hand. "No, no, think of it as a thank you gift from me for getting the job done. I knew I could count on you, Shepard. I only wish I could do more."

"No, that's wonderful," she assured him. Maybe a day would be enough time for her to figure out exactly where she and Liara stood. "I really appreciate it, Sir."

He smiled and nodded. "Alright, get out of here, Shepard. I'll keep the vultures away." He returned to the other conversation and Shepard headed the opposite direction. She kept an eye out for anyone following her, and when she was satisfied that no one was paying her any mind, she slipped away from the party. Walking briskly from the estate, she navigated away from the Presidium and down into the Wards. She was already on the Zakera arm of the Citadel, now she just had to descend to the right level. As she passed by strangers, her full dress blues attracted some stares and she realized that she was not only dressed too nicely for the Wards, but that she was too recognizable a person to go unnoticed. As she walked, she unbuttoned her officer's jacket and slipped it off, revealing the black tank top that she wore underneath. She folded the jacket on her arm so that the medals were hidden, and then undid her usual military bun so that her black hair fell down to her shoulders. Satisfied that she was now receiving less stares, she continued on to find Liara.

She found the asari waiting beside an advertisement for Tupari sports drinks and quickly jogged up to her. When Liara saw Shepard, she said, "You always look so different with your hair down. I almost did not recognize you."

"That's the idea," Shepard replied with a grin. "Having a distinct look portrayed in the media makes it easier for me to disguise myself if I need to."

Liara looked around the rest of the Ward and asked, "So, why did you ask me to meet you here and not the Normandy?"

"Do you like drell food?" Shepard asked abruptly.

Liara blinked at the change of subject and then replied slowly, "I have never tried it."

"Do you like spicy food?"

"Yes."

"Then you will probably like drell." She held out her hand to Liara and added, "I know a great place nearby that does drell takeout. Would you like to try it?"

Liara looked a little uncertain, but she delicately reached out and took Shepard's hand. She allowed the commander to lead her through the crowds, past the various neon signs and noisy shops. The smell of all kinds of food filled the air, their alien scents mingling to give the Ward a unique flavor. The Citadel never slept and the streets were alive with energy. It almost felt as if the air pulsed with life, beating like a heart.

Shepard led them to what could only be described as a stall. Sandwiched between a larger, sit-down restaurant and an omni-tool repair shop, sat a narrow counter in front of a wide grill. There was no place to sit and the only menu Liara could see were a few alien words scribbled on the counter. Behind the grill stood a tall drell, his skin a muted orange. Behind him stretch the rest of his kitchen, which was not really more than a sink, a few stove tops, and a pile of pots and pans and utensils. Another drell was already at the counter, talking with the owner while he prepared some food on the grill. Shepard decided to wait a few paces back, still holding Liara's hand. She leaned in towards the asari and whispered, "The drell who owns this place is pretty old. He came here a long time ago, before humans even showed up. And he hasn't updated his translator in ages, so he doesn't understand a word I say to him."

Liara tilted her head. "Then how do you order food?"

Shepard grinned. "I had to learn some words in Drell."

"Really?"

"Not much. I can count to ten, say 'this' and 'yes' and 'no.' Oh, and 'thanks.' So far that's been enough to get by with him."

"Does he recognize you by now?"

"Yeah, kind of. But he doesn't really seem to trust other races besides drell and hanar. I think he's warming up to me though. Since my translator is up-to-date I can understand everything he says just fine even though he can't understand me. He doesn't really seem to get that though. I think he assumes that because he can't understand me that I can't understand him. At least, he's stopped saying some of the more offensive things now that he's gotten used to me." She chuckled at that and Liara grinned too.

"Well, the asari were the first to discover the Citadel. His translator can probably interpret Asari. Should I try speaking to him?" Liara asked.

Shepard shook her head. "What fun would that be? I think it's a lot more fun to watch me struggle across the language barrier."

The other drell was leaving with his food and the pair stepped up to the counter. When the old drell spotted Shepard he blinked one set of his eyelids, looking slightly unsure, and then recognizing her despite her changed appearance, he mumbled, "Oh, it's you."

She smiled politely back at him as if she hadn't heard. Liara looked down at the counter and the strange language written there. Looking back at Shepard, she asked, "How do we know what to order?"

"Oh, it's a guessing game mostly," Shepard replied lightheartedly. "But so far I haven't tried anything I disliked. Why don't you let me order for you? I'll just pick two of my favorite dish."

Liara nodded and Shepard looked back at the drell. Pointing to one of the words on the counter, she said, "_Koki. Sesa._" Liara's translator translated the phrase to, "This. Two," but the foreignness of the accent was still plain coming out of Shepard's mouth.

The drell grunted and turned his back to them while he reached into some cabinets for supplies. He pulled out containers of strange foods and began throwing things onto the grill. Liara watched eagerly, her eyes lit with interest. Shepard, however, watched Liara, taking in how beautiful she looked. How happy. She still didn't think that she deserved Liara, but she hoped to change that.

She was keenly aware of the feel of Liara's hand in hers. So soft in comparison to her own, but roughly the same size. Their hands were merely cupped together, and Shepard thought about interlacing their fingers, but she feared being too forceful. She felt lucky that Liara wasn't mad at her, that she wanted to spend time with Shepard at all. The commander didn't feel confident enough to push her luck at the moment.

"So, she's found a little mate," she heard the drell mutter to himself. Shepard had to suppress a grin; she didn't want him to catch on that she could understand him perfectly. People were much more honest when they thought you weren't listening. Looking back to the grill, she could see him only glancing at them from time to time. The sizzling and popping of the food drowned out much of the other noise, but she could still hear his mutterings. "Or maybe she is a he? I cannot tell these humans apart very well."

Liara exchanged a glance with Shepard and also hid a smile behind her hand. He finished cooking the rest of their meal in silence and packaged it for them. Shepard paid with her credit chit and took the bag with her free hand. "_Esclipalia_," she said, which meant 'thank you' in Drell.

They started to go, but the drell held up his hands and said, "Wait." He grabbed something from a cupboard under the grill and pushed it across the counter towards them. A small container held what looked like a cake, though it was bright red in color. Shepard picked it up curiously and then pointed to herself as if to say, "For us?" He nodded back, though his expression never really softened. Still, Shepard found the gesture touching.

"It is not so bad," the drell muttered. "For a human."

Shepard had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. On the one hand, she was thrilled to have finally won his approval. On the other hand, she wasn't sure how she felt about being demoted to an _it_. She bowed her head and thanked him again before she and Liara turned to go.

"You have quite the talent for crossing intergalactic borders," Liara commented, smiling.

"I guess so," Shepard replied back happily. "Though I think he probably just liked you and decided to cut me a break."

Liara laughed and then said, "So, where to now? Do we eat on the street?"

"I have an apartment not too far from here," Shepard said. "I figured we could eat and talk there without having to worry about anyone listening in. If that's ok with you."

"That is fine," Liara said. "Lead the way."

They wove their way through the crowds once more, traveling down various hallways until the areas became distinctly more and more human. Eventually they stepped onto the Alliance owned portion of the Citadel. Shepard kept a lookout for anyone she might know, but the area was fairly empty that night. They ignored several office buildings and found the living quarters, huge buildings of small, tightly packed apartments for higher ranking personnel. Shepard unlocked the door of her apartment and flipped on the lights to reveal her small living space. There was a living room, which contained only a coffee table, TV, and a couch; a kitchen, which was probably the most interesting part of the home because Shepard kept it fully stocked with supplies; a bathroom, that contained only a cramped shower, toilet, and sink; and the bedroom, with a full bed, a dresser, a closet, a bookshelf, and nothing more.

Setting the bag of food down on the coffee table, Shepard said, "Have a seat, Liara." Then she ducked into the kitchen to fetch two glasses of water and silverware. When she returned, Liara had seated herself on the couch and Shepard sat down next to her, handing her a glass and a fork. Taking out the containers of food, she handed one to the asari and said, "So, if you don't like it, just tell me and I'll fix you something else to eat. But I don't think you will be disappointed. A lot of people haven't tried drell food, but I think it's pretty great."

One thing that could certainly be said for drell food was that it was probably the most colorful cuisine on the Citadel. Every dish contained bright reds and greens, yellows and oranges, even blues and purples. Shepard had no idea whether they were eating the drell equivalent of fruits or vegetables or even meat because it tasted like nothing she had ever tried before. Liara took a bite of it and immediately said, "By the Goddess, you were not kidding, Shepard. This is quite spicy."

"Is that ok?" Shepard asked. "Is it too hot for you?"

Liara shook her head. "No, it is good. It is unlike anything I have ever tried, but in a good way."

Shepard smiled, relieved.

"How did you come to try it though?" Liara asked, as she continued to eat. "It seems like an adventurous choice."

"Oh, I love food," Shepard replied. "It's just... something I took away from my brother, Andrew. He dreamed of being a master chef and I... well, I was always his test subject." She laughed. "So, I never grew up as a picky eater and his love of cooking kind of rubbed off on me. I'm not a great chef like he was, but it's sort of a hobby. As for drell food, well, I tried it because it looked so interesting. Then I fell in love with it. Someday, when I have more time on my hands, I'll learn how to prepare it. Maybe I'll finally learn what the hell I'm actually eating." She laughed again.

Liara smiled back. "I remember you saying once before that you would cook a human dish for me. To make up for my blunder with the cereal."

"I will," Shepard answered eagerly. "I mean, if you want me to."

"I would like that."

Shepard nodded and took a few more bites of food. Then, cautiously, she changed the subject by saying, "So, should we go back to what we were talking about before? About us?"

"I suppose we should." The atmosphere around them became instantly more tense. Shepard could not pinpoint exactly why the situation was so awkward for them; perhaps because it felt like they had skipped a couple of steps and gotten things all jumbled in the process. In an ideal world, they would have started dating, had a first kiss, fallen in love, and _then_ slept together. But instead circumstances had more or less thrown them together and they had jumped ahead to the last part and now were lost as to where to go. Did they just rewind and start at the beginning and pretend like Ilos had never happened? Shepard felt her stomach twist painfully at the realization that not only did she have no idea what Liara wanted, but she also had no idea what she wanted either. Part of her wanted to slam on the brakes, insist on taking things slow and giving her mind time to adjust. The other part of her wanted to push Liara down onto the couch and rip off her clothes. It was... a confusing mix of emotions.

Trying to order her thoughts, Shepard decided to address one issue that still made her feel like a scumbag. "Liara, earlier you said that you understood that I'm sort of two people. I'm me, but I'm also Commander Shepard, and that identity makes things... difficult. I feel like a complete ass for saying this, but if we want to be together, then it is best if no one else knows."

Instead of being angry, which Shepard thought was the more appropriate reaction, Liara just shrugged. "I suspected as much," she said. "Your reputation is just as important as your actual skills."

Shepard shifted her weight uncomfortably. The whole thing still left an awful taste in her mouth. "I don't want you to think it's because I'm ashamed or anything."

"I know," Liara answered with a smile. "You should trust that I can be very logical and practical, Shepard. I am not the type of woman to be ruled by my emotions. Although, the fact that it makes you so uncomfortable is touching. But to be honest, I do not know if I would want everyone we know to ask me questions about it anyway." She blushed slightly. "I can only imagine what kind of things Chief Williams would say."

Shepard found herself smiling and feeling reassured. Knowing that Liara preferred privacy as well helped to assuage some of her guilt. Letting the matter drop, Shepard wondered if she should say anything else. She considered mentioning her own mixed feelings about how intimate they should be, but she couldn't find enough courage to do so. Perhaps it would be best to wait on that. At least until she had a better idea of what they both wanted.

For the moment, though, she felt that pushing for any kind of physical intimacy was a bad idea. Given how fragile things seemed, it would be best to just work on their emotional connection. Rising to her feet, Shepard picked up the remnants of the meal and threw away the containers in the trash. Coming back, she said, "Well, for now, why don't we just relax and watch a movie? What's your favorite movie, Liara?"

The asari rubbed the back of her neck. "Oh, well, my favorite movie is a documentary about prothean ruins... I do not watch a lot of popular movies."

Shepard laughed. "Ok, let's pick something at random then." She sat back down on the couch and activated the TV with her omni-tool. She accessed her movie selection and then pressed one at random. As the movie began, she leaned back into the couch cushions and put an arm around Liara's shoulders. She was relieved when Liara scooted in closer and snuggled up against her. _Maybe we're already really comfortable with each other_, Shepard thought. _Maybe this won't be too hard to figure out._

They sat content in each other's company and eventually both fell asleep during the movie, curled up together. It wasn't the actual beginning of their relationship - that had come before - but it was the start of something new all the same.


	2. Reconnection

**Greetings! Allow me to go through my habitual apology for my continual absence. A lot seemed to conspire against me making progress on this chapter. First, this chapter was just difficult to write in general. I stressed over it a lot because it is such an important moment in Shepard and Liara's relationship, and I wanted to make sure I expressed the various themes in the right ways. Second, I've been up to my usual antics, which means various work related things, a little traveling to other states, and also playing hostess to some friends from abroad. And third, I actually had to rush to complete this chapter by today (which I'll explain a bit later), so if it feels a bit rushed, well, there's a reason.**

**I hope, however, that this chapter was worth the wait. My goal is that after the tension of the last chapter, this one should feel more cathartic. Feel free to let me know if I succeeded or dropped the ball.**

**Annnnnnnnd now for my big piece of news. I will be going to Japan (again) for the next three weeks. While exciting for me, I know that this translates into more delays for you guys. I really am sorry. I know my update time is deplorable without the addition of an international trip. On the bright side, I will have a lot of down time on planes and trains, so hopefully I will write a lot and then be able to post new things when I get back.**

**About this chapter, specifically: while the beginning starts from Shepard's POV, I quickly shifted it to Liara's. I think I want Liara to have a bigger voice in this story, probably sharing about half the spotlight with Shepard. I normally only do one Liara chapter per story, but expect to see a lot more of her thoughts this time around. Also, you're going to see me throw the term best friend around a lot, and how friendship plays into romance. As I've said before, I'm not the type of girl that sits around planning her wedding, so there are only two things I know for sure I want for a wedding: an open bar (because I think it's rude not to have one) and I want my first dance to be to "You're My Best Friend" by Queen. Those are really the only two things I'm not willing to negotiate on at this point. I know; I have odd priorities. Anyway, I wish I could say more about this chapter, but I really do need to catch a flight. Sayonara.**

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**

**Reconnection**

Shepard almost never woke up feeling content. There was always something to do, something that needed her attention, work to get done. Each morning started with the question of who needed her help that day. Commander Shepard lived entirely for the service of others.

Which was why she felt surprised when she awoke to find her arm around Liara's middle, curled up together on the couch in her apartment, and realizing that she had an entire day of freedom ahead of her. Taking a deep breath, Shepard took a moment to enjoy the warmth of Liara's body pressed against her own. In the back of her mind, she knew that she should be extremely frightened; Shepard was a woman who never operated without a plan, and today was a day that she knew had to be devoted to trying to figure out where she and Liara stood. Yet, despite knowing the goal, she had no plan on how to proceed. She didn't even know what she wanted other than to be with Liara. But for some reason, that realization didn't frighten her like it should have. She had confidence that they could figure this out. Objectively, she had no reason to think that, but she believed it all the same.

Propping herself up on one elbow, Shepard gazed down at Liara's sleeping form and felt a smile tug at her lips. Liara looked so beautiful, her face softened by the peace of sleep and she looked happy. A sudden desire to kiss the asari gripped Shepard's heart, but a stab of hesitation rose up to meet it. She desperately wanted to call Liara hers, to be possessive and feel entitled to kiss the asari whenever she wanted. And she wanted Liara to feel possessive about her as well. She wanted Liara to look at her with the same hunger in her eyes that she felt.

Yet, she also worried that what she wanted was too much. Liara was shy and reserved and the word possessive was about as far from her personality as Shepard could think. The commander didn't want to scare Liara away by seeming too demanding. Asari had such long lives, perhaps they didn't think about these things in the same way. Liara had told her before that she had always thought of humans as being too brash, too anxious to move forward due to their shorter life spans. That by asari standards humans moved much too quickly. The only reason the night before Ilos even happened was because there had been a chance that they'd die soon. And she didn't want to scare Liara by moving too fast and pressuring her into anything she wasn't comfortable with. So, Shepard resolved to be patient and let Liara determine the pace.

Instead of kissing Liara, Shepard stroked her arm gently until her eyes fluttered open. She looked around groggily until realizing that she was snuggled up against Shepard on the couch and then smiled sheepishly. "I suppose we fell asleep during the movie," she said.

"I guess so," Shepard agreed. "Hey, why don't you let me make good on that promise to cook you something, and let me make breakfast for you?"

Liara nodded and Shepard sat up, disentangling herself from the asari. "I'm going to make you something called pancakes."

~.~.~.~.~

Liara sat at the counter facing the stove as Shepard moved about the kitchen, grabbing the supplies for breakfast. "You want coffee?" the commander asked.

The first time Liara had tried coffee was on board the Normandy, after watching Shepard drink it several mornings in a row. Shepard typically drank a cup a day, Ashley seemed to down at least three cups each morning, and Joker might as well have had an IV of the stuff inserted into his arm. The only human who hadn't seemed to enjoy it was Kaidan, but he had said that regular consumption of coffee ran the risk of caffeine withdrawal, which made his migraines worse. To Liara, coffee reminded her of an asari beverage called porri, which was also served hot in the mornings, and she had expected the two drinks to be similar. However, she'd found coffee way too bitter for her tastes. A bit of exploration and guidance from Ashley had led Liara to an alternative human drink that she liked better, so she said, "Do you have any tea?"

"Sure. I think I have some." Shepard rummaged about the cabinets until locating a box of tea and then put a kettle of water on the stove to boil. She then went back to her other preparations. "Do the asari normally eat breakfast?" she asked.

"Sometimes. Never a large one though. I was surprised by how many different types of breakfast foods humans have. It seemed odd to me that you have so many dishes that are reserved only for what we would consider the most unimportant meal of the day."

Shepard chuckled softly at that as she began cracking eggs into a bowl. "I never really thought about that, but you're right. We do have a lot of foods that are just breakfast foods. When you think about it, it's odd to say that you can eat one thing in the morning but not at night. The more time I spend around other species, the more I realize how weird humans are."

Liara smiled. "We are all weird, I think. We only realize it when we look at ourselves through foreign eyes." The kettle began to whistle softly and Shepard grabbed a mug, filled it with water, placed a tea bag in it, and slid it towards Liara. She wrapped her blue hands around the warmth of the mug and thanked the commander. Shepard poured herself a cup of coffee and then went back to preparing the pancakes. Her back was to Liara as she stood in front of the stove, but she was only on the other side of the counter. "So, what has the Alliance had you doing these last few days?" Liara asked.

Shepard groaned and her shoulders sagged dramatically. "It's been awful," she complained. "I've had to tell the whole story about a hundred times and I've had more pictures taken of me than a supermodel. It's been absolutely insane."

As she went on, explaining how the Alliance planned to use her image and how they only pretended to listen to her warnings, Liara simultaneously listened and observed the commander. With Shepard's back to her, Liara was free to stare as much as she wanted. Shepard wore her dress blue pants, held up around her waist with a black belt, and she had on a black tank top instead of her officer's jacket. Her dark hair still cascaded down to her shoulders, ending in soft curls. Liara had a good view of the commander's bare arms, muscular and toned like the rest of her body. Eying the silhouette of Shepard's body, Liara could easily see how lean and athletic she was, and she knew firsthand the extent of Shepard's fitness.

Studying Shepard's figure made her think of the night before Ilos, and she couldn't help thinking that Shepard _did_ have a really nice body. Not that it was the reason Liara was so attracted to Shepard - she wasn't that shallow - but it was a nice bonus. And why shouldn't she look? They'd both admitted to having feelings for one another. They'd already slept together once before. If Liara wanted to press Shepard against the counter and undress her right then and there - well, wasn't that what they had both agreed to wanting? Would Shepard stop her? Or would she encourage it?

Liara shook her head and had to suppress a sigh. Her emotions were such a confusing mess at the moment. She'd been trying to convince herself for the last few days that she would have to let Shepard go. That she couldn't hold the commander back. Those feelings still lingered somewhere in her, but were being overridden by an overwhelming desire to be close to Shepard. Liara was simultaneously afraid of getting too close to Shepard and then losing her, but also afraid of not ever having the opportunity to get close to Shepard at all.

For the moment, she was quite content to listen to Shepard rant about how much she disliked public relations, and wait while the commander finished preparing breakfast. When the pancakes were done, Shepard put a plate in front of Liara and pulled up another stool so that she could sit across from her at the counter. Poking the brown, circular things with her fork, Liara asked, "What exactly are these?"

"They really are just small cakes that you eat in the morning," Shepard said. Liara eyed the dark syrup sliding off the edges of the cakes and pooling on the plate. Shepard laughed at her hesitation and said, "Go on and try it. I have yet to meet someone who doesn't like pancakes."

Liara took a bite of the food and her eyes widened. "By the Goddess, this is delicious, Shepard."

The human's face lit up with joy. Liara couldn't think of a time she had seen Shepard looking more content, and it felt like a light had gone on in her head. Shepard felt happy when she knew that she had made Liara happy. And seeing Shepard like this felt like some kind of drug. Suddenly, Liara desperately wanted to see Shepard smile like that again. _We have the power to make one another happy_, she thought. _We want the same thing. We just have to trust ourselves to do the right thing._

She continued to ponder that revelation throughout the meal while also enjoying the food and Shepard's company. After their plates were cleared and the kitchen tidied up, Shepard looked down at herself and frowned. "I shouldn't have slept in my uniform. I'm going to have to re-iron these pants for sure."

Liara hid an amused grin behind her hand. Ever since joining the Normandy team, she'd found it perplexing that Shepard could go toe to toe with a krogan without batting an eye, yet also be so concerned about her appearance. It wasn't as if Shepard were incredibly vain, as if she wanted others to think she was attractive. Rather, it was a matter of professional pride for the commander, and also a tool. Her appearance conveyed a message, and Shepard was always hyper aware of that message.

"Do you mind if I take a minute to change into something else?" Shepard asked.

Liara nodded her consent and Shepard gestured for the asari to follow her. As they passed back by the living room, the commander snatched up her uniform jacket which was hanging on the back of a chair, and held it in front of her eyes for examination. She let out an annoyed tsk and grumbled, "This looks like shit." She led Liara down a short hallway to the lone bedroom in the back and pointed towards another door. "If you wanna use the bathroom to freshen up or anything, go ahead. I'm just going to change real quick."

As Shepard walked into the bedroom, Liara used the restroom and washed her face. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she wondered what they would do next. Did Shepard have something planned or would the commander have to report back to the Alliance? She didn't want their time together to end yet. But she also knew that she couldn't keep Shepard from her duties. That was the trouble of falling for someone like the commander. Shepard didn't belong to Liara. She belonged to the galaxy and the galaxy never stopped asking for help.

Exiting the bathroom, she walked into the bedroom and then suddenly stopped short. Shepard stood at the closet on the left side of the room, placing her uniform on a hanger and fussing with the creases. She had stripped down to her underwear and bra, and Liara found herself just staring at the nearly naked commander. She wasn't sure if she should turn around and give Shepard a chance to get dressed; and she wasn't sure if she wanted to either. Earlier just the memory of Shepard's body made her want to undress the commander. Now that she had a good view of Shepard's lean, muscular body, she wanted to do a lot more than that.

Placing the hanger into the closet, Shepard turned to find Liara staring at her, but seemed completely unfazed. In fact, she gave a small smirk as if amused by Liara's frozen posture and the look made Liara's pulse suddenly quicken. _We have the power to make one another happy,_ she thought again. Primal impulses flashed through her brain like cracks of lightning. That tiny voice in her head that had worried about whether she was behaving the right way or wondering what Shepard wanted out of this relationship had been switched off. At the moment, she didn't care. She couldn't care. All she could think about was how it would feel to kiss Shepard and feel the commander wrap her arms around her.

Liara wasn't really thinking when she crossed the room slid a hand around Shepard's waist and pulled the human into a fierce kiss. It just felt right. The commander didn't protest when Liara deepened the kiss, nor when she used her free hand to explore the hard contours of Shepard's abdomen or allowed her fingers to snake upwards to her breasts. In fact, Shepard immediately wrapped her arms around the asari and pulled her closer, throwing herself completely into the kiss until they were both out of breath.

When the need for air forced them apart, Liara saw that Shepard's lips were upturned into a sly grin which was reflected in her eyes. After taking in a few deep breaths, Shepard whispered, "I was hoping you'd do that."

For a second, Liara had the presence of mind to wonder if Shepard had planned this. If she had deliberately made a show of changing clothes and undressing in order to prompt Liara into acting. But then, she realized that she didn't care. She'd known for quite some time that Shepard was a woman who only ever gambled on the sure thing. As long as this situation kept moving in the same direction, Liara didn't care how they'd gotten there. Shepard could manipulate the situation all she wanted if it meant that neither of them no longer hesitated.

Unfortunately, that moment of thought on Liara's part did not go unnoticed by the commander. Shepard frowned suddenly, her smug look vanishing in a heartbeat. "If you're not sure, Liara..." she began to say.

Liara found herself instinctively rolling her eyes. And people thought that _she_ was socially impaired. "Please stop talking, Shepard," she said, and pulled the commander back into a kiss. That would stop her from second guessing.

The commander seemed to take the hint, and eagerly found the zipper on Liara's lab coat and peeled her out of it. Both moved towards the bed, stripping off any remaining layers of clothing before getting tangled in the sheets. Feeling Shepard's skin pressed against her own brought back images of the night before Ilos. Liara felt a mixture of excitement and desire knot in her stomach. As the commander's kisses trailed down her neck, Liara collected the woman in her arms and took a deep breath, savoring the scent of her and the heat of her body. In all her dreams, she had never imagined that she could ever want someone as badly as she wanted Shepard. Want someone so completely. Her body responded to Shepard's as if they were made to fit together; she didn't think about where to place her hands or where to shift her weight - she just did it.

It was both thrilling and terrifying how she responded to Shepard on so many levels. Physically, she craved Shepard's touch - her mind zeroed in on every location the human's hand came to rest; her heart quickened every time she heard her name breathed through those pink lips; she found any inch of space between their bodies unbearable. Yet, Liara also responded to the commander emotionally. For the first time in her life, she felt... possessive. Shepard was the truest friend she had had in a long time. In fact, the human was her best friend. Never before had she felt comfortable placing her faith completely in one individual. Shepard allowed her to let go. She knew that Shepard's loyalty was unbreakable; she would never simply abandon Liara. An idea that had thus far been absent from her life. And because of that, Liara wanted to do the same for Shepard. She wanted to smash the barriers between them - to feel entitled to kiss the commander whenever she wanted, to say whatever she wanted, to feel however she wanted.

And because she responded to Shepard on these levels, she also desired the mental connection. Her scientific, logic-oriented mind knew that biologically her body desired to meld minds with the commander because of the basic instinct to procreate. It was a perfectly practical need to protect her species that had been handed down over many years of evolution. Not that she wanted to have Shepard's child - that was a possibility that was impossible for Liara to even consider at this point in her life, and Shepard would be understandably upset to learn that her genetic makeup had been copied without her consent - but even without reproduction being the end goal, her body still reacted on instinct. She wanted to link consciousnesses with the commander and knew that without that connection, she could not be fulfilled by the relationship.

Pushing Shepard onto her back, Liara straddled the woman's hips and looked down at her striking, violet eyes. Shepard's own gaze traveled up the asari's body, her face a mix of appreciation and anticipation. Her tanned hands slid tenderly up Liara's thighs, exploring her curves. Leaning down to place a soft kiss on the commander's lips, Liara asked softly, "Will you join with me?"

For the briefest moment, Shepard hesitated. Liara could feel the human's body stiffen, see the worry that suddenly flashed across her face. And she wasn't surprised. Shepard's mind functioned like a well guarded fortress. The commander employed so many masks, so many tactics to maintain control and protect everything dear to her, that being stripped of those masks was a daunting request. Liara was asking for complete vulnerability, and for someone like Shepard, that was the most terrifying situation she could be in.

And because she knew how hard it was for Shepard to let go, a surge of warmth spread through Liara's heart when the commander nodded her head in assent. Forcing the tension out of her body, Shepard summoned a sheepish grin for Liara and said, "Just remember to be patient with me."

Liara flashed her own reassuring smile and brushed her fingertips against Shepard's cheek. "Relax," she instructed in a soothing voice. "Empty your mind." The commander closed her eyes and Liara could see the steady rise and fall of her chest as she took deep breaths. "Embrace eternity."

Reaching out with her mind, Liara quickly found Shepard's and embraced it. On instinct, the commander threw up mental barriers, almost cutting Liara off, but then she caught herself and slowly withdrew them. To distract Shepard from her fears, Liara leaned in and kissed her again, deepening the kiss so that Shepard's mind could only afford to focus on keeping up. In their shared consciousness, emotions skidded across the surface like ripples in a pond, colliding and mixing in an entity that was both Shepard and Liara. At times it was hard to tell which thoughts and feelings were hers and which her lover's, but Liara managed to pick out the predominant impression of desire rising out of Shepard. That desire only served to intensify Liara's own, until the emotion eclipsed all others in their shared consciousness.

By the time Liara allowed the connection to fade away, they were both breathing heavily and covered in a thin layer of sweat. Liara rested her head above Shepard's breasts, listening to the quick beat of her heart and enjoying the feel of the human's arms wrapped protectively around her. Silence reigned as they drank in the calm after their passionate love making. When she felt a bit more collected, Liara crossed her arms under her head so that she could look down into Shepard's eyes and smile. She wanted to say how glad she was that Shepard had found her, and how important she was to Liara, but the commander stared at her intently and said, "Sometimes I can't even stand it." She murmured it, as if to herself, her brows furrowed in concentration.

Liara blinked in surprise and asked, "What?"

She felt Shepard's chest lift with a sigh and the human gave a small grin. "You're so beautiful that sometimes I can't even stand it. I feel like a hobo next to you."

Liara felt her face instantly turn hot and she failed to come up with an adequate reply. She didn't know what a hobo was (an animal maybe?) but she could deduce what Shepard meant. Liara had never considered herself a great beauty, but with the way Shepard looked at her, she could almost believe it. But she had no idea how to reply. She wanted to tell Shepard that she thought that she was beautiful too, but she knew the commander would refuse the compliment. So, Liara just lay there, stunned, trying to think of something to say.

Shepard laughed at that and affectionately traced circles on Liara's bare back. "Looks like I got the better of you, Doctor. I love making an asari blush. You don't see that often."

Amused, Liara said, "You are cruel, Commander."

"Sometimes," Shepard agreed.

Liara was about to duck her head for a kiss, when she caught sight of the clock on Shepard's nightstand. It was almost midday and a sudden realization brought her up short. "Shepard, do you need to be somewhere today? I am so sorry. I am afraid I have distracted you... the Alliance..."

Shepard, however, chuckled. "If you call _that_ a distraction, then I don't really think you need to apologize. And don't worry, Anderson is making sure I have the day off. They'll have their claws in me again tomorrow, but for today, I'm yours."

Liara flashed a relieved smile. "I think Captain Anderson is my new best friend."

Shepard gave an expression of mock indignation. "What about me?"

Liara pretended to think about it for a second and then said, "You are a close second."

"Second?" Shepard growled, suddenly rolling them both over so that she was now positioned above Liara. "Are you sure there's nothing I can do to change your mind?"

Smiling, Liara draped her hand over the back of Shepard's neck, coiling her dark hair around one finger. "Well, there might be something you could do. It depends on how you want to spend your day off."

Leaning in and lowering her voice, Shepard said, "I have a mind to spend the entire day in bed."

"That sounds very lazy of you, Commander."

"Oh, don't worry. I know a way that we can stay active."

~.~.~.~.~

Liara watched Shepard get dressed with a small smile on her lips. She took in the soldier's lean, muscular form and thought that she should have been sculpted in marble; she looked like art made flesh. Laying on her stomach, head propped up on a pillow, Liara stretched languidly and relished how good she felt. She felt relaxed, soothed - no longer like she was walking on eggshells around Shepard. For the first time in a long time, she felt comfortable in her own skin.

She didn't even blush when Shepard caught her staring and said, "You're gonna make me self-conscious, T'soni."

"Just enjoying the view," she piped back.

Shepard made an exaggerated show of rolling her eyes, but grinned anyway and took a bit longer to get dressed than she normally would have. She had selected normal Alliance fatigues since she had insisted on returning to the Normandy. It was currently late afternoon, and true to her word, Shepard had kept Liara in bed practically the whole day. But eventually they forced themselves to think about the future and how their relationship would function over the next several days. It became pressingly clear that Liara had to return to the Normandy before anyone got suspicious of her absence. The last thing either of them needed was for someone to get worried and send out a search party for the prothean expert. Shepard insisted on going with her on the pretense that she should take the opportunity to talk to the crew and decide what they should do during their downtime on the Citadel.

Pulling her hair back into its familiar military bun, Shepard said, "I'll make us something to eat before we leave. In the meantime you should get dressed." Her eyes wandered to where Liara's clothes laid strewn on the floor. Picking up the pair of pants closest to her, Shepard folded them while saying, "You should wear some of my clothes. It will make it seem like you've come and gone since the party." Placing the folded pants on top of her dresser she opened one of the drawers and began rummaging around. Liara could hear her mumble to herself, "Why do I own so much Alliance stuff? Don't I own anything plain?" Eventually she found what she was looking for and tossed some clothes to Liara.

Sitting up, Liara gave Shepard her best seductive smile and asked, "Are you sure you want to head back to the Normandy?"

Shepard stared at Liara for a long while, her eyes drinking in the asari before her. Finally, in a raspy voice, she said, "God, no. But it really is the smart thing to do." Tearing her eyes away, she headed for the door. "I'll make us some food, so just meet me in the kitchen." Then she beat a hasty retreat as if she didn't quite trust herself if she stayed.

Smirking, Liara got out of bed and got dressed, checking to make sure that she looked normal in the mirror. Shepard had given her a simple pair of long black pants and a green shirt, in a more casual style than anything Liara typically wore, but she didn't look completely out of place. Likely, the crew would assume that she was dressed this way because they were sort of on vacation. Going into the kitchen and sitting at the counter, Shepard then placed a sandwich before Liara which she happily ate.

The two were careful leaving the apartment, checking to make sure that no one was around to see what Shepard referred to as "the walk of shame." When Liara asked what that meant, Shepard said that it was an old Earth phrase that basically referred to any time an onlooker would be able to tell, based on the place you were leaving or what you were wearing, that you'd had sex the night before.

As they left the Alliance zoned quarters and made their way towards the docking bay, Liara tilted her head and said, "But I thought humans were usually proud of their sexual conquests. In the videos I watched..." then, realizing how that sounded, she quickly added, "er, some Earth dramas about romance, I mean... Well, the people always seemed eager to brag about any new romance."

Shepard lifted an eyebrow. "You watch Earth dramas?"

Blushing, Liara answered, "Not usually. I just... when I realized that I might be attracted to you, I thought that watching human shows about romance might help me to understand how you would view relationships. It was just a bit of research."

Shepard grinned. "That was a pretty good idea. I didn't even think to do that." Then, going back to Liara's original question, she added, "Well, humans are weird about romance, I guess. We've been struggling with how we should feel about sexuality for millennia."

"That is... so odd," Liara commented. "Asari are usually very open about sexuality." She rubbed the back of her neck and frowned. "Although, I suppose other races see us in a bad light because of it sometimes. Too many of us work in strip clubs and other... professions."

"But not you."

"No, and that makes me stand out. And not in a positive way. I have often been labeled as sheltered or, well, weird."

"Well, I'm kind of glad," Shepard said. "Because sometimes I feel pretty weird too."

Liara laughed and they chatted happily until they reached the docking bay. Liara spotted the Normandy waiting for them, but Shepard pulled her behind a supply crate and out of sight. Glancing around, Liara noticed that they were well shielded from prying eyes and someone would really have to look for them in order to eavesdrop.

"It's probably too risky to walk in together," Shepard said with a grimace. "You should go ahead and settle back in. I'll wait thirty minutes and then arrive and call the crew to a meeting."

"That sounds like a good idea," Liara agreed. But Shepard still had a grip on Liara's arm, and her expression said that she wanted to say something else. Knowing better than to push, Liara watched Shepard and waited patiently.

"Listen, Liara..." the commander began. "I don't know how asari feel about this sort of thing, but I know for humans this is usually considered a big step, but... While we're stuck on the Citadel, I'm going to be at the Alliance's beck and call. I won't be on the Normandy a lot. And I was thinking... maybe you could move into my apartment with me?" She said the last bit quickly and winced as if expecting an impact.

Liara had to admit that she was a little surprised by the question, but it was a pleasant sort of surprise. Even if she couldn't have Shepard all to herself, she could get fairly close. Besides, the thought of waiting on the Normandy, with nothing to do, and wishing she could be with Shepard would be absolute torture.

"I would like that, Shepard," she said with a smile. "But how will I explain my absence to the crew?"

"Don't worry. I'm going to tell everyone that while we're in this weird limbo stage, they are free to treat this as a shore leave. They can stay on the Normandy if they'd like or find other accommodations. Just tell everyone that you're going to stay with a friend on the Citadel during the break. It'll technically be true."

"Well then, I will do as you say, Commander."

Shepard grinned and pulled Liara in closer. "Although, I suppose you really should stay with your _best_ friend, T'soni. And you said I'm only in second place."

Smirking at the playful tone, Liara wrapped her own arms around Shepard's waist. Leaning in she kissed the commander softly. "I recently changed my mind. I think you are my new best friend, Shepard."


	3. Time Share

**So, long story short, Japan was awesome. I got to check a bunch of things off of my Japan bucket-list. I won't bore you all with the details, of course, but it was quite the rewarding experience.**

**Anyway, on the subject of writing, hopefully you're all still enjoying this story. I have been writing a couple of chapters simultaneously, so the next few chapters are actually in decent shape at the moment. Of course, knowing me, it's hard to say when exactly I will finish them, but I'm feeling somewhat optimistic. If this chapter seems to end abruptly, though, I'm sorry. I had intended to write a bit more, but then got bogged down in other things and eventually decided that I just needed to move past this chapter rather than get stuck on it. Tried to bring it to a reasonable end, but it does feel a little like a filler chapter. Oh well. Next few should be better.**

**But, as a peace offering, I want to mention an awesome comic. If you haven't already seen it, then I think you might forgive me a little for my slowness. If you've already read it... well sorry, I got nothing for you then (other than this chapter). Anyway, I was certainly impressed by it. And just so we're on the up and up, the author of this comic is not a friend of mine (or secretly me). I have no relation to the author in any way. I'm sharing this because it truly is fantastic and I think that if you read and enjoy these stories, then you will enjoy this other work. Plus, the Shepard in the comic looks and acts a lot like Sophia, so that's pretty cool. I can't provide a link (due to the site rules I believe), but it's easy to find. Go to deviantart and search for Canius (the author). Click on any of the many pictures with Shep and Liara in them and then go to the gallery and start reading the comic from the beginning. Trust me, you will not be disappointed. Then, of course, feel free to tell the author if you enjoyed it. After all, she is providing you with free entertainment.**

**So, hopefully, my peace offering (which isn't really mine to give, but oh well) will help you guys forgive me a little. And maybe this chapter will help a little too.**

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**

**Time Share**

Liara had hoped to board the Normandy without anyone noticing her return. She just wanted to get back to her room, change back into clothes that were a little more normal for her, and pretend like she'd been caught up doing research all night. But, sadly, that wasn't meant to be. The second she entered through the cockpit door, Joker's suspicious face was there to greet her.

"I never pegged you as the late night partying type, T'soni," he said, sitting in his chair and drumming his fingers on the armrest like some sort of super villain.

"What?" she squeaked, and then flinched at how guilty she had just sounded.

He leaned forward, steepling his fingers to look even more menacing. "You are incredibly predictable, T'soni. Ever since we've been back on the Citadel, you've eaten breakfast in the mess at 0900. I know because that's when I tend to eat breakfast and I always see you there. But today you skipped out on breakfast. And now you return late in the afternoon dressed very casually." Narrowing his eyes at her, he said, "So, out with it. Where have you been?"

It was no secret that Joker loved gossip and that he was the source of nearly half of the rumors ever spread aboard the Normandy. Liara knew she was in trouble, and to watch her words carefully. "I was visiting a friend on the Citadel."

"What kind of friend?" Joker pressed.

Briefly, Liara considered telling him to mind his own business, but that would have been a terrible idea. If he sensed any dishonesty from her, he would latch onto whatever depraved scenario popped into his head first. She'd have to lie, and lie convincingly.

"Just an old colleague. We were discussing her new paper on prothean culture. You see, there is a huge debate in the field about whether the protheans were a bellicose society or a culturally modernist society. Some evidence suggests that-"

"Ok, ok," he interrupted, breaking his intimidating posture and waving his hand dismissively. "I get it. Boring prothean stuff." Shaking his head, he mumbled, "Don't know what I expected, really." Then to her, he added, "Would it kill you to go out and do something scandalous?"

She blinked at him, surprised that he'd actually believed her. To her the lie seemed transparent; the debate over prothean culture had been settled a long time ago and the evidence she'd been prepared to cite was 30 years old at best. Obviously the protheans had been a mainly bellicose society, but after achieving autocratic dominance over all other species, they had the leisure of investing in arts and literature. She wondered if she could get away with just about anything if she started talking about the protheans to people. To Joker, she just said, "Sorry to disappoint you."

He shrugged, as if his forgiveness were some magnanimous gesture. "It's ok. You can make it up to me by using your biotics to carry me down to the med-bay. I have an appointment with Chakwas and I'd like to spare myself a few fractures on the way."

So Liara helped him down the stairs to the med-bay, enduring his complaints about how formal and pointless the award ceremony the previous night had been, and after saying hello to Dr. Chakwas, quickly retreated to her room. Closing the door behind her, she let out a sigh of relief. She'd have to be extra careful around Joker. Probably Ashley too. Joker was far too nosy to underestimate, and Ashley was one of the most observant people on the ship. The more she thought about it, the more Liara wondered how she and Shepard were going to hide their relationship. And if they made a mistake and got caught, then what would happen? How would the Alliance respond? The media?

But what choice did they have? Now that she had Shepard, Liara wasn't willing to just let her go. It felt like the galaxy was conspiring against them at the moment, but Liara would fight back.

~.~.~.~.~

"So, I have some information you may be interested in," Ashley said, crossing her arms and leaning against a storage locker. She and Shepard stood by the gun bench while Shepard went over the inventory manifest in her hand - trying to catch up on some of the duties she'd left absent since the Battle of the Citadel. Looking up from the datapad and seeing the smug look on Ashley's face, Shepard's heartbeat quickened. A sudden fear of having her secret relationship with Liara already exposed leaped to the forefront of her mind. Had they messed up already? Did everyone already know? She felt like it had to be so obvious - that her feelings for Liara were plastered right on her face.

It took all of Shepard's self control to strangle her irrational fears and force them back down. Affecting her best casual tone, she said, "Oh?"

"I happen to know that a certain quarian friend of ours is having a birthday really soon."

Inwardly, Shepard let out a sigh of relief. _You need to get a hold of yourself_, she thought. _Don't jump to conclusions._ Outwardly, she said, "Tali? Really? How did you find out when her birthday is? She never told me."

"Oh, I have my ways," Ashley replied with a smirk.

"Do those 'ways' involve eavesdropping on her personal calls?"

Ashley's grin grew wider and she shrugged as if to say "It's anyone's guess." Shepard shook her head and chuckled to herself which made Ashley raise an eyebrow. "What?' she demanded.

"Oh, I was just thinking that at the start of all this you probably never guessed that you'd call an alien friend, let alone try to plan a party for her."

Ashley frowned and let out an indignant snort. "First off, I never disliked quarians. They're a lot like us - getting screwed by the council at every turn. And second, how'd you know I was gonna say that we should throw a party for her?"

Shepard rolled her eyes. "Come on. I doubt you'd bother telling me all this unless your next suggestion was a party. A quiet evening with a birthday cake isn't really your style."

At that, the chief smirked again. "Ok, fair enough. But I actually wasn't thinking of anything too big. I don't wanna terrorize the girl. I was thinkin' maybe a girl's night out for dinner and a few drinks. Me, you, Liara, and the birthday girl. Hell, we might even get Chakwas to go too."

Shepard returned her eyes to the datapad and nodded her head. "Sounds nice. I think Tali would like that. When is her birthday?"

"Two days from now. I would have told you sooner, but I only found out yesterday after the awards ceremony."

Not taking her eyes from the manifest, Shepard frowned. "That doesn't leave a lot of time to plan."

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it. I know you're busy with PR bullshit, Ma'am. You just need to show up when and where I tell you to. Oh, and don't tell Tali about it, obviously. I already got a hold of Liara and she's in. I'll see if I can get Chakwas later."

Shepard scribbled her signature at the bottom of the manifest and looked up at the clock on a nearby wall. She'd scheduled a squad meeting to take place in five minutes. Motioning for Ashley to follow her as she headed for the elevator, she said, "Ok, I'm in. Let's hope the Alliance continues to give me my evenings free. Let me give this back to Officer Postle and we'll head to the meeting."

~.~.~.~.~

"So, that's pretty much where we stand at the moment," Shepard said to her assembled squad, plus Joker, Chakwas, and Pressley. She knew that Pressley would spread her orders to the rest of the crew after the meeting. "Until either the Alliance or the Council gives the Normandy new orders, you can all treat this time as extra shore leave. You are welcome to use the ship as home, or go elsewhere if you want. But don't leave the Citadel until we're sure that the Council is done with us."

Wrex let out an angry snort, his arms crossed and a scowl plastered on his face. "Why should I wait around for those sniveling pyjaks to make up their minds? If I remember right, I helped pull _their_ quads out of the fire, not the other way around."

Shepard sighed. "Consider it a favor to me then. I give them a week at most to decide. You can do merc work in the meantime if you get bored. Just limit it to Citadel work.

He grunted, but slightly nodded his head. "Fine. But you owe me one, Shepard."

"Any other complaints?" Shepard asked, looking around the room. The others all shook their heads - a vacation was a welcome reward after long months of fighting Saren. "Great. Well, I'm afraid you guys won't see much of me because I'm currently at the top brass's beck and call, but if you need to reach me, then feel free to send a message. And I think that about wraps up this meeting. Have a fun break, everyone. Dismissed."

Everyone began moving towards the doors, except Pressley, who handed the commander several datapads that required her signature so that he could get all the paperwork that had been piling up in order. Shepard nodded and skimmed through the documents while simultaneously keeping an eye on her departing crew. Making sure that her demeanor carefully conveyed her status as the commander, relaxed yet in complete control, she called out, "Liara, I need you to stay behind for a minute."

The asari, who had been walking and talking with Ashley and Tali, stopped and did a good job of looking equal parts surprised and anxious. Shepard had no doubt that the look Liara gave her really meant "Are you crazy? You are announcing our relationship to the entire crew," but to everyone else it read as "Oh, no, what have a done in order to get called out?"

In fact, Ashley playfully ribbed the asari and said, "Looks like you're in trouble, T'soni." Liara just stared at Ashley as if she didn't understand what the human was talking about. Thinking nothing odd of the situation, the rest of the crew continued to file out of the room while Liara waited by the door. Shepard finished skimming through the datapads, signed them, and handed them back to Pressley, saying, "Thank you for keeping everything under control while I've been gone."

"It was no problem at all, Ma'am," he replied happily.

"Make sure you take a well-deserved break though," she chastised, her tone conveying that she meant it as a kind remark. "I don't want to catch you working during your shore leave."

He chuckled. "Don't worry, Ma'am. I think my wife would kill me if she found out that I squandered any time-off by doing paperwork instead of going home. Well, I suppose I can't go home since we can't leave the Citadel, but still, she'll want to fly out to the Citadel as soon as I tell her."

Shepard smiled and wished him a good vacation once more before dismissing him. Once he was gone, Liara ventured forward, her face calm now that she had a chance to realize that Shepard was not out of her mind. There was nothing strange about the commander asking to talk to one of her crewmembers in private, and acting like strangers aboard the Normandy would have raised more eyebrows than just behaving normally.

"I realized that I needed to give you the pass code to my apartment," Shepard explained, grinning at the asari because she couldn't seem to help herself from being happy when she saw Liara.

"Ah, yes," Liara replied. "That could be useful. Hold on, let me make a memo on my omni-tool so that I do not forget." As Shepard recited the pass code, Liara copied it down and stored it away for later. "Is that all you needed?" Liara asked. "I should go pack my things."

"Yeah, one more thing," Shepard replied, grabbing Liara's hand and pulling her into her arms. The commander stole a quick kiss, grinning like a little kid.

Liara laughed and said, "That was an excellent addition, Commander. Allow me to reply." The asari pressed their lips together again, a kiss that lasted a little longer than the last. When she pulled away again and headed towards the door she said, "I will see you tonight, Shepard."

The human stood, beaming after her. "Can't wait."

~.~.~.~.~

Unlocking the door to Shepard's apartment, Liara let herself in quickly and shut the door again. She'd been careful to make sure that no one noticed her arrival; an asari in the Alliance zoned section of the Citadel would undoubtedly stand out in people's minds. However, her journey thus far had been surprisingly easy. After Shepard's announcement that everyone could have an extra shore leave, the crewmembers of the Normandy had abandoned the ship in droves, eager to see loved ones, friends, or just get away for a while. Pressley hadn't even batted an eye when Liara informed him that she would be staying with a friend on the Citadel during the break, and he'd added her name to a rather long roster.

Shepard was still aboard the Normandy when Liara left, trying to finish all paperwork that needed her attention while she had the chance. But Liara was anxious for the commander to return. She knew that this week on the Citadel, when they were shielded from the eyes of the crew, was the most amount of time they would have together. And even then she'd still have to share Commander Shepard with the rest of the galaxy. Liara sighed as she walked back to the bedroom. She knew that she shouldn't complain; after all, she'd known that Shepard couldn't be all hers from the very beginning. Yet, she couldn't help wishing for just a little more time.

Letting the duffel bag slung over her shoulder drop to the floor, Liara looked around the bedroom. The sheets on the bed were still in a tangle, inviting a smile to creep across Liara's face as she recalled her day in bed with Shepard. Then, allowing her eyes to sweep around the rest of the room, it struck Liara just how little Shepard owned. She'd been too preoccupied with sorting through her feelings yesterday to notice, but the commander seemed to have almost no personal effects. There were no pictures on the walls or on the dresser, no items just sitting out in the open for inspection. Liara had half expected to find some photographs of Shepard's family or at least old pictures from her time in the Alliance, but there was nothing. In fact, all Liara knew about Shepard's family was that she'd had one and that they'd died at the hands of batarians when she'd been sixteen. She knew their names, knew that Shepard had had three siblings, but otherwise they were a mystery.

The most personal objects Shepard owned appeared to be the books on the shelf in the room. They were the only unnecessary items in the apartment. Kneeling down by the bookshelf, Liara selected a book at random and examined the cover. She couldn't read the title, of course, but she could tell that it was an extremely old book. The spine had been cracked many times over, the cover was soft and worn down by use and time. Putting it back in its place, Liara could see that the types of books varied greatly. There were thin books and books as wide as her hand. There were books that appeared to be several hundred years old and ones that looked relatively new. Selecting another one at random, Liara opened it and found that in addition to the printed words, there were annotations scribbled in the margins. She had no doubt that Shepard had written these notes for herself and she marveled at the commander's dedication to her hobby. It was odd enough that Shepard was so well-read since she'd spent her entire adult life in the Alliance fighting out in the boundaries of Council space, but it was even odder that she showed the dedication of a literature professor.

Liara wondered if Shepard might have become a teacher; if things had happened differently, if the attack on Mindoir had never happened and Shepard had continued to have a normal childhood, would she have gone to school, majored in literature, and become a professor? Would they have met under different circumstances, two doctors in separate fields, fallen for each other, and had a completely different kind of relationship? No sneaking around, no one competing for Shepard's attention, no danger around every corner.

It was an incredibly alluring fantasy and Liara found herself lost in her daydream for a while. When she came back to her senses, she sighed and shook her head at her foolishness. There was no use in imagining something that could never happen. Besides, if Shepard had not become who she was, then Liara doubted they'd be alive today. Shepard had been the right woman in the right place at the right time. No one else could have stopped Saren.

Liara continued to examine the books on the shelf, lost in her thoughts and reflections, when she suddenly heard the front door open and close. Then she heard Shepard's voice call, "Liara? Are you here?"

Putting the book back on the shelf, Liara rose to her feet and exited the bedroom. She found Shepard already sitting on the couch in the living room, reading a message on her omni-tool with a thoughtful frown on her face. When the asari entered the room, Shepard looked up and said, "I guess Anderson could only keep the Alliance at bay for so long. On my way back I started to receive a bunch of messages from the brass, telling me where to be tomorrow and what time." She turned off her omni-tool with a frustrated grunt and slumped into the couch, looking tired and fed-up.

Liara didn't know what to say. She'd heard Shepard complain about the constant attention from her superiors before, but she'd never shown her irritation so clearly. The commander tended to complain and then immediately move on because it was her job to get things done. Liara hadn't seen Shepard look defeated by her responsibilities since the Normandy lockdown, when it seemed like they would be forced to sit and watch the galaxy be overrun by the Reapers. Shepard was always so good at appearing strong when others needed her to be, and the only reason she allowed Liara to see her true feelings was because she trusted her. Seeing Shepard like this was both touching and saddening.

Knowing that nothing she could say would make things better, Liara decided to trust her gut instinct. Coming over to the couch, she straddled the commander's lap so that she sat facing the other woman. Shepard looked shocked, still not used to their newfound intimacy. In truth, Liara was a little surprised by how comfortable she felt doing it. Being able to express her desire and not feel held back by politeness was liberating. Liara knew that if she were feeling overwhelmed, the thing she would want most would be for Shepard to just hold her close, to know that someone cared about her.

Cupping Shepard's face in her blue hands, Liara leaned in and tenderly placed a kiss on the commander's lips. The contact was soft, undemanding, patient, and reassuring. Liara's heart rested just above Shepard's and she felt a sigh hum in Shepard's chest. The human's hands came to rest over Liara's hips, but both of their attentions were focused on the kiss. For a while they were content to share the moment, lost in their desire to stretch their time together and forget about the rest of the world.

Liara couldn't recall which of them deepened the kiss first, but once the mood shifted it shifted quickly. Liara's hands slid to the back of Shepard's neck, her thin fingers burying themselves in the woman's dark hair. Shepard's arms completely wrapped around Liara's middle, pulling her even closer and pressing their bodies together. When they both had to come up for air, Shepard transferred her kisses to Liara's neck, her hot breath driving the asari insane. Liara stopped playing with the commander's hair and her fingers found the buttons on her officer's jacket instead. She began to undo them, eager to get Shepard out of her uniform and pick up where they'd left off earlier in the day.

She was on the second to last button when a sudden beeping noise intruded on their moment. At first they both ignored it, completely absorbed in one another, but the beeping persisted. Shepard paused in her affections and as she pulled back and raised her left arm, Liara noticed that the commander's omni-tool was flashing and ringing from an incoming call. Shepard stared at her wrist in disbelief and then threw her head back against the couch cushions with a loud growl.

"I'm not here," she muttered, closing her eyes.

"Ignore it," Liara urged.

For a few seconds Shepard didn't reply, no doubt contemplating following Liara's advice. But then she sighed and said, "They get pissed if I ignore their calls. They expect me to answer even if it's the middle of the night." Liara didn't have to ask who they were. No doubt the Alliance was eager to have their poster-girl back in their hands.

"Should I answer it?" Liara asked, trying to recapture some of the lightness from before.

Shepard let out a half hearted laugh. "That'd be something. I have no idea what they'd do to me."

"You could say that you were in the shower," Liara suggested, trying to find some plausible reason for Shepard to ignore the call.

"The shower, huh?" Shepard murmured. Her eyes went from the omni-tool still clamoring for attention on her wrist to the asari still sitting on her lap. By the look in Shepard's eyes as they examined Liara's body, Liara knew that she'd won this little battle with the Alliance for Shepard's attention. It took all her self control not to smirk as she leaned in and recaptured Shepard's lips with her own. It was a small victory - and she knew that she couldn't always win - but for now, having Shepard all to herself was enough.


End file.
